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| Rouse Hill Town Centre |
Whilst watching the morning news recently I heard an interview with a lady who introduced this concept of learning for children. I am totally sold on the idea and think it is exactly what our kids need, in this time where we don't like to let them walk to the park or local shop alone, like we did as kids. We don't let them explore local creeks for fear of disease. Child care centres and schools have no imagination, and are plagued with fear of legal action, so instead of providing inspiring spaces and activities they provide dull boring spaces and would prefer to punish children for not acting and responding in the way they want them too. As a mother of an 11 year old boy, I am guilty of wrapping a little cotton wool around him and it is unfortunate that he is an only child, not one of six like me. I feel it would different if he had other siblings.
The other topic this leads me to is community involvement. I live in an estate where all the small blocks are enclosed with tall wooden fences and there is only the occasional interaction with neighbours, not like the days when we had big backyards and low wire fences. If the community interacted more with each other, quite possibly we would be more comfortable with allowing our kids to play in the streets.
I think the concept for this learning centre needs to stem from need to rekindle the community spirit.
Play for Life, a newly established not-for-profit organisation, is founded on the critical role of lifelong play. Play is central to our continued well-being, resilience and adaptation to change and our social cohesiveness as a community. From the time of birth, we are built for play and through play. The ability to play is critical not only to being happy but also to sustaining social relationships and being a creative and innovative person. Play for Life uses play to initiate important, innovative, and effective social change projects, with a focus on disadvantage and children and youth.
Our first project is an exciting and innovative project in Australian education. It is a simple, yet highly effective way of revolutionising the way primary school children spend 25% of their time at school, that is, on the playground.
It's called "the Pod".
It's called "the Pod".
Inaugural Australian Children's Play Summit
What is the Pod?
The Pod is a modified shipping container, or "pod", filled with high quality "loose parts" play materials. Clean, safe scrap, otherwise destined for landfill, is carefully selected and recycled for use in the Pod. This can include anything from old car tyres and steering wheels, to cardboard tubing, milk crates, used keyboards and telephones, fabric and dress-ups.
The Pod is delivered to school playgrounds, to stimulate self-directed play opportunities at lunchtime for kids. A Play for Life staff member works with the school community to train teachers and parents to ensure that the opportunities for rich, "open ended" and self directed play are optimised at school and at home.
The Pod is delivered to school playgrounds, to stimulate self-directed play opportunities at lunchtime for kids. A Play for Life staff member works with the school community to train teachers and parents to ensure that the opportunities for rich, "open ended" and self directed play are optimised at school and at home.
What We Know
The benefits of play in the development of the child are well documented. Not only is play fun, it's how they learn and is one of the principle ways in which their brains develop. Play teaches kids the skills they need to read, share, create, and become happy, well-adjusted adults. However, as more and more kids' toys become embedded with chips, buttons, and controllers, the way kids play is changing.
As a result, play is changing dramatically from a world invented by children to a world prescribed by parents and other adults. Environments where children get to be the authors of their own play are declining.Are our children getting the play they need to thrive in the 21st century? According to reports from sources such as Harvard University, Time magazine, Newsweek, and The Futurist, the answer is no.
As the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget once said, "Play is the answer to how anything new comes about." A playful mind thrives on ambiguity, complexity, and improvisation—the very things needed to innovate and come up with creative solutions to the massive global challenges in economics, the environment, education, and more.
Why is the Pod important today?
It is in the interest of businesses, educators, and consumers—both children and parents—to make sure that how kids are playing today, and the toys that they're using, provide them with the kind of open-ended experiences that stimulate creativity and foster critical thinking. This approach also needs to be fostered in their experience and attainment of education.
With Australia having one of the highest rates of non-completion of Year 12 in the OECD, school retention to Year 12 remains a high priority for governments around the nation.
Engaging children at school through play can be a highly effective strategy in addressing our national challenge of school retention. If children don't attend school, or feel disengaged with learning while they are at school, they fall behind. Wanting to take part is essential if children are to enjoy their learning and remain engaged. For children, play is enjoyable, and promotes their overall satisfaction of the school day and the learning environment. Play also helps them with social development and problem-solving skills and promotes creative thought and contributes to the development of vital skills like cooperation, personal responsibility and communication. Play involves doing, exploring, discovering, failing and succeeding – all important in the development of the child.
Australian governments are also recognising the vital role of play in the primary years of education. In January 2010, the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) introduced a curriculum for the early years of primary school that explicitly privileges learning through play-based experiences. There is now a policy climate in Victoria which requires primary schools to not only become accredited for "Learning through Play" but to also present learning through play activities as part of the curriculum.
With Australia having one of the highest rates of non-completion of Year 12 in the OECD, school retention to Year 12 remains a high priority for governments around the nation.
Engaging children at school through play can be a highly effective strategy in addressing our national challenge of school retention. If children don't attend school, or feel disengaged with learning while they are at school, they fall behind. Wanting to take part is essential if children are to enjoy their learning and remain engaged. For children, play is enjoyable, and promotes their overall satisfaction of the school day and the learning environment. Play also helps them with social development and problem-solving skills and promotes creative thought and contributes to the development of vital skills like cooperation, personal responsibility and communication. Play involves doing, exploring, discovering, failing and succeeding – all important in the development of the child.
Australian governments are also recognising the vital role of play in the primary years of education. In January 2010, the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) introduced a curriculum for the early years of primary school that explicitly privileges learning through play-based experiences. There is now a policy climate in Victoria which requires primary schools to not only become accredited for "Learning through Play" but to also present learning through play activities as part of the curriculum.
The state of children’s play in Australia today
All children have a right to play. This is enshrined in Article 31 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child. We believe that learning to play is not something adults need to teach. Provide a suitable environment, and children will naturally play. Yet our attitudes to play have changed over the generation. Children's access to self-directed, "traditional" play environments has dwindled due to:
As a result, the school playground is now, for many children, one of the few places where they can interact with their peers in an open, outdoor environment.
- parents' fear of traffic, and "stranger danger"
- bullying
- parents who are too busy to facilitate self directed play opportunities
- loss of natural space due to urbanisation
- changes in perceptions of what is best for children.
As a result, the school playground is now, for many children, one of the few places where they can interact with their peers in an open, outdoor environment.
So the above is inspiration to the primary school and younger age bracket, now how about the older kids?
I recently saw an episode on ABC's Lateline that caught my attention and I felt the topics covered could be considered when designing my Learning Centre.
In particular the idea of hours of operation - The learning centre could be a place for students to go outside of school hours. There could be homework help and many other activities for high school students as well as courses that can benefit the students in gaining employment. For example the students run the cafe or catering service and as well as getting an education they are paid for their work.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3479768.htm
SUSAN SMITH, REPORTER: In far-western NSW, in the Menindee Lakes country, a bold experiment at the local school is paying off. Menindee Local School is now the model which will be rolled out across NSW, starting with approximately 12 pilot schools who will sign up for the project known as "Connected Communities". Schools become the hubs in communities, a focus of health, employment and psychological support, with preschool being a major focus.
